Middle East Feast Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hummus

Hummus is a type of dip made primarily from chickpeas which are mashed and mixed with tahini, a type of sesame paste. Other ingredients such as garlic and lemon juice are commonly added. The name hummus comes from Arabic and means chickpeas.

Answer: Shawarma

Shawarma is a dish consisting of meat cooked on a vertical rotating spit. Servings are sliced off the outside as required. Shawarma was traditionally made with lamb but chicken is now also commonly used. Shawarma developed from the doner kebab, which first appeared in what is now Turkey in the 1800s.

The Greek dish gyros consisting of thin slices of meat in a pita bread is also developed from the doner kebab .

Answer: Baklava

Baklava is found throughout the Middle East and first appeared in what is now Istanbul during the Ottoman Empire. The dish consists of layers of filo pastry with chopped nuts, often pistachios, sweetened with honey or sometimes a form of syrup. Baklava is traditionally made in large baking tins and is cut into individual pieces before baking.

Answer: Chickpeas

Falafel are often made from ground chickpeas but can sometimes be made from ground broad beans or a mixture of the two. When using chickpeas to make falafel they are soaked before being ground and then mixed with ingredients such as parsley or garlic to add flavour. The mixture is then shaped, often into balls, before being deep fried.

Answer: Vine leaves

Sarma means 'wrapped' in Turkish and is a dish where vine leaves are wrapped around fillings, commonly rice or meat. The dish is commonly found as part of the cuisine of Turkey and other countries of the former Ottoman Empire.

Answer: Eggplant

Baba ghanoush is a dish that is commonly served as a dip with pita breads. The dish is made from roasted eggplant which was traditionally cooked over an open flame to give the dish a smoky flavour. When the eggplant is cooked it is peeled and mashed to create a dish with the right consistency for dipping.

Answer: Bulgar wheat

Tabbouleh is a type of salad from the Middle East. The salad includes bulgur wheat which is soaked to soften it rather than being fully cooked. The bulgur is combined with parsley, tomatoes, mint and onion and the salad uses a dressing made of olive oil and lemon juice. In Lebanon the first Saturday in July is celebrated as National Tabbouleh Day.

Answer: Manakish

Manakish is a type of topped flatbread popular throughout the Middle East. The dish is often eaten at breakfast time, though it is also a common lunch item. Manakish consist of a dough base with various toppings, popular toppings include the spice blend, za'atar, cheese or minced lamb.

Answer: Bread

Fattoush is a Middle Eastern salad that mixes greens with items such as radishes and tomatoes and includes toasted or fried pieces of flatbread. The salad is often flavoured with the spice sumac which gives it a sour taste.

Answer: Ice cream

Booza is a type of ice cream from the middle east that is sometimes called the first ice cream ever as its origins can be traced back to 1500 AD. Booza is made from milk, cream, sugar, mastic resin and a type of orchid flour called sahleb. The resin and the orchid flour give Booza a chewy texture.